EP 2207484 A2 20100721 - PRODUCTION OF PRE-COLLAPSED CAPACITIVE MICRO-MACHINED ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERS AND APPLICATIONS THEREOF
Title (en)
PRODUCTION OF PRE-COLLAPSED CAPACITIVE MICRO-MACHINED ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERS AND APPLICATIONS THEREOF
Title (de)
HERSTELLUNG VORGEFALTETER MIKROMECHANISCHER KAPAZITIVER ULTRASCHALLWANDLER UND IHRE ANWENDUNG
Title (fr)
FABRICATION DE TRANSDUCTEURS ULTRASONORES MICRO-USINÉS CAPACITIFS PRÉAFFAISSÉS ET APPLICATIONS DE CES TRANSDUCTEURS
Publication
Application
Priority
- IB 2008053778 W 20080917
- US 97283607 P 20070917
Abstract (en)
[origin: WO2009037655A2] Methods are provided for production of pre-collapsed capacitive micro-machined ultrasonic transducers (cMUTs). Methods disclosed generally include the steps of obtaining a nearly completed traditional cMUT structure prior to etching and sealing the membrane, defining holes through the membrane of the cMUT structure for each electrode ring fixed relative to the top face of the membrane, applying a bias voltage across the membrane and substrate of the cMUT structure so as to collapse the areas of the membrane proximate to the holes to or toward the substrate, fixing and sealing the collapsed areas of the membrane to the substrate by applying an encasing layer, and discontinuing or reducing the bias voltage. CMUT assemblies are provided, including packaged assemblies, integrated assemblies with an integrated circuit/chip (e.g., a beam-steering chip) and a cMUT/lens assembly. Advantageous cMUT-based applications utilizing the disclosed pre-collapsed cMUTs are also provided, e.g., ultrasound transducer-based applications, catheter-based applications, needle-based applications and flowmeter applications.
IPC 8 full level
CPC (source: EP US)
A61B 8/00 (2013.01 - EP US); B06B 1/0292 (2013.01 - EP US); H04R 19/005 (2013.01 - EP US); Y10T 29/43 (2015.01 - EP US); Y10T 29/49005 (2015.01 - EP US); Y10T 29/4908 (2015.01 - EP US)
Citation (search report)
See references of WO 2009037655A2
Designated contracting state (EPC)
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MT NL NO PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
Designated extension state (EPC)
AL BA MK RS
DOCDB simple family (publication)
WO 2009037655 A2 20090326; WO 2009037655 A3 20100701; CN 101969856 A 20110209; CN 101969856 B 20130605; EP 2207484 A2 20100721; EP 2207484 B1 20161109; US 2010207485 A1 20100819; US 8327521 B2 20121211
DOCDB simple family (application)
IB 2008053778 W 20080917; CN 200880108270 A 20080917; EP 08807701 A 20080917; US 67845308 A 20080917